Agastache plant named ‘Violet Vision’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct form of  Agastache  plant characterized by violet blue flowers in large inflorescences, a long bloom time, a short, compact habit, good winter hardiness, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Agastache hybrid.

Variety designation: ‘Violet Vision’.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Agastache, given the name, ‘Violet Vision’. Agastache is in the family Lamiaceae. This new variety is one of several selections of new Agastache using Agastache cusickii and A. rugosa in the breeding lines to provide hardiness and compactness. The new cultivar is a selection from the cross between the proprietary seedlings 09-02T, as the seed parent, and (08-2T×08-1T)#8, as the pollen parent. The new cultivar was selected for its compact habit, hardiness, and violet blue flowers.

Compared to the seed parent, Agastache 09-02T (unpatented) the new cultivar is shorter and has violet blue rather than purple blue flowers.

Compared to the pollen parent, Agastache (08-2T×08-1T)#8 (unpatented), the new cultivar has violet blue rather than white flowers and is taller and upright rather than prostrate.

Compared to Agastache ‘Blue Boa’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,050, the new cultivar has lighter colored flowers and is much shorter.

This plant exhibits the following characteristics that make it unique:

-   -   1. violet blue flowers in large inflorescences,     -   2. a long bloom time,     -   3. a short, compact habit,     -   4. good winter hardiness,     -   5. and excellent vigor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (stem cuttings and micropropagation using apical buds and nodes). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings and micropropagation using apical buds and nodes as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a close up of the new cultivar growing in a one gallon container outside in full sun in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a bed of nine-month-old Agastache ‘Violet Vision’ growing in the field in mid summer in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Agastache cultivar based on observations of 10-month-old specimens in October growing outside in full sun in a one gallon container in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95° F. in August to an average of 32° F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:     -   -   Form.—Upright.         -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Cold hardiness.—USDA Zone 6-10.         -   Size.—Grows to 25 cm wide and 58 cm tall to the top of the             flowers.         -   Vigor.—Excellent, fast growth rate.         -   Branching.—About 10 main stems from the base, these branch             at every node.         -   Stem.—Square in cross section, grows to 15 mm wide at the             base and 18 cm tall to the first flower, pubescent,             internodes range from 3 to 10 cm long, Yellow Green 146B.         -   Roots.—White NN155B, fibrous, plants root easily from stem             tip cuttings. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Margins.—Coarsely serrate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate and auriculate; with the base cuneate for             about 3 mm then auriculate.         -   Blade size.—Grows to 43 mm long and 40 mm wide.         -   Surface texture.—Pubescent on both sides.         -   Petiole description.—16 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, pubescent,             Yellow Green 147B.         -   Leaf color.—Top side Green N137A with vein Green 137C,             bottom side closest to Yellow Green 147B with vein 147C.         -   Fragrance.—Aromatic. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Terminal spike with up to 12 whorls.         -   Number of flowers.—Up to 600 per spike.         -   Size of inflorescence.—Grows to 19 cm tall and 5 cm wide.         -   Peduncle.—Grows to 20 cm tall and 3 mm wide, pubescent,             Yellow Green 146A.         -   Pedicel.—Grows to 2 mm long, pubescent, Grey Brown 199C.         -   Bloom period.—June through frost in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—16 mm long and 3 mm wide at the widest point prior to             opening.         -   Description.—Tubular.         -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Purple N79B. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Zygomorphic.         -   Shape.—Bilabiate, tubular.         -   Size.—24 mm long and 7 mm wide.         -   Corolla description.—23 mm long and spreads to 7 mm wide;             color both sides Violet 83C; pubescent inside and outside,             tube 12 mm long and 1 mm to 4 mm wide; 2 upper lobes joined,             each 3 mm long and 3 mm wide, each ovate, tips obtuse,             margin entire; three lower lobes, two spreading sideways and             curve out slightly, each 1.5 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, tip             obtuse, margin entire; bottom lobe, reflexed, broadly             obovate, notched at the tip, margin undulate, 5 mm wide and             2.7 mm deep.         -   Calyx description.—Campanulate, 9 mm long and 3.5 mm wide,             pubescent outside and glabrous inside, 5 lobed, lobes             triangular, 2.7 mm long, entire, acuminate, color closest to             Purple N79A.         -   Pistil description.—27 mm long, exerted, ovary 1.5 mm long,             Yellow Green 145D, style 25 mm long, Violet 85D at bottom             blending to Violet 83A at top, stigma two-parted, 0.5 mm             deep, Violet 83A.         -   Stamen description.—4 in number, paired and exerted, top two             9 mm long and bottom two 6 mm long, filaments Violet N82A,             anthers 0.3 mm long, Violet Blue 86A, pollen White N155A.         -   Fragrance.—Aromatic.         -   Lastingness.—A spike blooms for about 4 weeks on the plant. -   Fruit/seed: 4 nutlets, 1 mm long, ovoid, Black 202A. -   Pests and diseases: The new cultivar is typical to the genus. No     known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have been found     in Canby, Oreg. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct form of Agastache plant substantially as shown and described. 